Famous Fortune Fights!
by Andy & Danielle Mayoras

Musicians

After a six-month coma, the life of Whitney Houston's daughter Bobbi Kristina Brown, has tragically ended. Just how tragic her short life really was may not be known for some time. But the details that have emerged are nothing short of heart-wrenching, if the allegations of a recently-filed lawsuit filed on behalf of Bobbi Kristina prove to be true.

According to that lawsuit, Whitney Houston's millions were at the heart of this tragedy. But what role did they really play in Bobbi Kristina's death?

It was on January 31, 2015 that Bobbi Kristina was found unresponsive, unconscious, and face down in a bath tub. That was nearly three years from the day her mother famously drowned, also in a bathtub. Bobbi Kristina was placed into a medically-induced coma and reportedly suffered severe brain damage.

The late Riley B. King — better known as blues legend B.B. King — often said that the only woman in his life was his guitar, Lucille. But that wasn’t exactly true. King estimated that he had 15 children by 15 different women. No wonder one of his biggest hits was called, When Love Comes To Town.

B.B. King took responsibility for his children. According to CNN, he set up a multimillion dollar education fund for his descendants. King wrote in his memoir that he assumed responsibility every time a woman came to him and said a child was his, without arguing about whether that was true or not. One of his daughters, Patty King, said in a previous interview with Rolling Stone that B.B. King was a great dad who had “done well” by his children.

That same daughter is now leading the charge against B.B. King’s business manager of 39 years, LaVerne Toney. Patty King and half-sister Karen Williams lead a panel of five King children, out of the eleven surviving children, who have made serious accusations of wrongdoing against Toney. These range from not letting the children see their father before he died, to providing improper medical care, and even poisoning B.B. King.

Blues great B.B. King passed away at age 89 years old Thursday, after suffering from diabetes and other health problems. He leaves behind an unmatched musical legacy in the Blues genre, along with 11 surviving children and reportedly more than 50 grandchildren.

Sadly, a dark cloud hung over the King family throughout his final days, due to a bitter dispute over the management of his care and money, involving what some claimed to be elder abuse. The battle pitted his longtime business manager, Laverne Toney, against a handful of his children.

King fathered and adopted a total of 15 children, from several different marriages, but four had previously died. Three filed a court action in Las Vegas alleging that their famous father was a victim of elder abuse at the hands of Toney.

Karen Williams, Rita Washington, and Patty King said that Toney was not providing proper medical care to their father, restricted his children and friends from visiting, and that there were large amounts of money missing from King’s bank account. In fact, the family said it could not account for more than one million dollars. The three children asked the court to appoint an independent guardian for their father to protect him and his assets.

There's nothing like a hit song to keep heirs dancing down the road to the bank -- even when that song wasn't written, composed, or sung by the celebrity singer who died.

The heirs of Marvin Gaye hit it big with a judgment against Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams for copyright infringement based on their chart-topping song Blurred Lines ... but will the victory stand up on appeal? And what exactly does this mean for the Marvin Gaye Estate?

This is installment #13 of our Estate Planning Lessons From The Stars series, which is based on the Celebrity Legacies TV show for which we provide commentary as the estate legal experts. See other articles in the series here.

Sure the holidays are a fun time for families to sit around talking about what happened on the latest episode of The Walking Dead or how granddaughter Mary is doing in dance class. But they are also a great time to have the important -- yet often difficult -- conversations about estate planning. What happens when Mom dies? Does anyone know where Dad kept his will? Did they ever transfer the investment accounts into their revocable living trust like they were supposed to?

Many families don't ask these tough questions ... especially when dynamics are strained, like in many second-marriage families or when siblings don't get along well. It certainly isn't easy to blurt out after passing the gravy, "Hey Dad, does your will put me or your wife in charge of your estate?"

But these conversations are important. When the proper estate planning isn't done, it's the family members left behind who pay the price, often with bitter, ugly, and costly probate court battles. They happen to families all across the country on a daily basis, from those of modest wealth to the very rich.

It's rough being Mick Jagger sometimes. Even as the front man for the famed Rolling Stones, he Can't Always Get What he Wants. But when he tries, at least sometimes, he just might find ... that he gets what he needs. These days, what Sir Mick (as he is known officially in England) truly needs is some peace and quiet ... and a little privacy. Is it too much to ask to Get Off of his Cloud?

Sir Mick took a beating in the media last week when a lawsuit that he had hoped to keep quiet became very public. That is what often happens with lawsuits involving those in the public eye, especially in this digital age. In many courts across the country -- federal courts especially, but more and more probate and other states courts too -- anyone who knows how to track down the electronic court records and is willing to pay a small cost can read all the juicy details about court battles from the comforts of their own home.

It has been more than twenty years since Kurt Cobain, the lead singer of Nirvana, died from a shotgun blast to his head, at age 27. His talent, passion, and creativity launched a new movement for not only rock music, but American culture itself.

This is installment #7 of our Estate Planning Lessons From The Stars series, which is based on the Celebrity Legacies TV show for which we provide commentary as the estate legal experts. See other articles in the series here.

Cobain was a game-changer who burned too bright -- brighter than he could handle. His suicide note summarized it well: "I don't have the passion anymore, and so remember, it's better to burn out than to fade away."

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Legal Disclaimer

Legal Disclaimer

Nothing in this blog should be relied on as legal advice. The information contained herein does not create an attorney/client relationship. The articles posted are intended for entertainment and general information purposes only. Laws vary state by state. Anyone seeking legal advice for a specific situation should consult a qualified probate lawyer or similar qualified professional in the appropriate state.